Disturbing Incident in Spring Hill/Woodland Heights Last Night
Below is the text of an email I received today about a very threatening incident last night. Please be aware of what is going on and watch out for your neighbors;
I live in Woodland Heights on 22nd Street and last weekend (8/14) someone came into my yard and tried to steal my grill. For whatever reason they did not complete their task. I’m not sure if it had something to do with the backdoor light being turned on in order to let my dog out or if they were just unable to get through the back gate that they entered through because of a tree limb that had come down during a recent storm. However, when they left the yard and their would-be mission they left the back gate open and my dog got out. Thanks to the help of my neighbors, my dog is back home safe and sound. …..and my grill and gates are now locked up.
Now fast forward to last night (8/20)…. at approximately 1:30 a.m. I heard my neighbors yelling at someone in the space between our two houses. When I went outside to see if everything was ok I was told that we had some more shady people in the neighborhood. This time one of them was bold enough to walk up to my neighbors and their friends while they were hanging out on their front porch and ask if they could use a cell phone. Being the nice people that they are….they gave him one to use. This person stepped away from the porch to use the phone. While the guy was on the phone, my neighbors realized that this guy had a knife and that he seemed to be communicating with a group of 5 or 6 people that were at the Valero gas station on the corner. Feeling very uncomfortable about this, my neighbors asked the guy to leave. He proceeded to try and go in and through their backyard. When they told him not to, he then jumped over my fence and ran through my backyard. At this point, the police were called and a brief description of the guy was given.
The group of people at the Valero eventually crossed Semmes Ave and went towards the trailer park. They then hid in the woods on the other side of the fence line and watched as several police cars drove by looking for the guy that’s description had been given to dispatch. When they realized that the police weren’t “looking for them” they started yelling things at our group trying to instigate a fight. One of the things that I heard them say was “this isn’t over yet!” This makes me very uneasy as it tells me that they have no intention of backing down until they steal whatever it is that they want.
Eventually a couple of police cars came back to our street. When they did we spoke at length with the night supervisor for the 3rd Precinct. He told us that there have been several break-ins in the neighborhood in the last three weeks. He specifically mentioned sheds being broken into and being completely wiped out as well as grills and bikes being stolen. He obviously recommended that anything that could be should be locked up. He also said that they are clearly aware of what is going on and have several units assigned to our area on a daily/nightly basis. That being said…..the area for the 3rd precinct covers from the fan/VCU area to Woodland Heights, Westover Hills and off of Jahnke towards Midlothian. He encouraged us to call if we see anything out of the ordinary and at this point not to feel like it’s too insignificant to deal with. And he said that it was important if at all possible to leave a phone number for the police to call back in case a full description of the suspicious character is not relayed properly via dispatch. They promised that our phone numbers would be remain confidential.
I’d also be concerned about thugs letting family pets out of fenced in areas.
That can easily be fixed by good locks on all gates.
22nd. Street is in Springhill, not Woodland Heights so please file under Springhill, crime. Don’t want to give the impression that anything like that ever happens in Woodland Heights!
This occurred in the adjacent neighborhood of Spring Hill, not in Woodland Heights. They are two distinct neighborhoods.
The residents there get to deal with the large numbers of rowdies headed to Belle Isle: because the JRPS parking lot is usually closed (!!!!!), revelers park in the Spring Hill neighborhood.
I changed the title but left WH in because that is the neighborhood the person who sent the email associates his/her self with.
“Don’t want to give the impression that anything like that ever happens in Woodland Heights!”
Not yet, maybe.
Anyone have information on the Manchester on the James project? I’m looking at a house in Springhill and need to know
I’m so tired of fighting this endless hopeless battle. We have small children and feel like we can’t even walk them around the block anymore. We used to take evening walks every day, not any more. Why do we even bother to live here? The West End sure is looking good these days. Let the criminals, junkies and thugs drive out all the law abiding citizens and let’s see how they like this city after we are all gone.
posted by Carnby at August 22, 2010 1:02 am [#]:
“Don’t want to give the impression that anything like that ever happens in Woodland Heights!”
Not yet, maybe.
I think that comment was made in jest, given that we in Woodland Heights have had our share of shed break-ins and worse.
#7
We’ve been in the area for nearly twenty years. Believe me when I say that, in many, many respects, thing are MUCH better than they were back then. There are plenty of good people who moved here (well before we did) when things weren’t so great, and who stuck around and made things better, which in turn attracted folks like yourself to the neighborhood.
It’s up to the law abiding citizens to drive out the bad guys. I certainly hope that you don’t give up so easily as your post implies.
Or, maybe city living and the risks and rewards that come with it just aren’t for you, in which case perhaps a move to the ‘burbs would be the right thing for you to do.
Of course suburbia has it’s own drawbacks: crime & drugs of course, car-centric & VERY pedestrian-unfriendly streets, traffic hazards, restrictive covenants in some neighborhoods, limits on the number of canine pets you may possess, no guarantee of nice neighbors AT ALL, and so on and so forth. And chain restaurants out the wazoo.
A word of advice, don’t get into angry shouting matches with these type of people. They are quick to pull out weapons when they get in fights and do drive-bys when they have grudges.
These guys worry me with the brazen attitude. It might be better to watch and track them without being noticed and try to get the police there asap.
Where to live is a personal decision.
I don’t feel that making that decision based on concerns about the safety of ones self or family should be perceived as “giving up”.
There comes a point where the costs outweigh the benefits. This will be different for each individual. #7 [Moving to the Burbs writer] is not alone, and I think it is understandable given the recent circumstances.
Last night I began writing a letter to Mayor Jones, the police chief and my city council representative (Marty Jewell) urging them to put as many minds and resources on this problem as possible – because good families who contribute so much to these neighborhoods and our economy ARE considering leaving. Many neighbors have already written letters or made phone calls – if anyone else like me has waited until now, I encourage you to join me and contact them asap and insist that bold steps be taken. We need this immediate problem addressed now, and we also need bold, proactive ideas that will help to prevent young people from growing up into criminals in the first place.
It also pays to not have unreasonable expectations about relative safety while living in a city.
During an economic downturn.
During a record summer heat wave.
In a neighborhood that is just a few streets away from a much higher crime area, open air drug markets, prostitution and so forth.
So, while the neighborhood looks and feels like a small town, it is in fact a city neighborhood.
Good luck getting Marty Jewell to respond in a meaningful way: he wants the Minimart at Semmes & FH Ave. to be able to sell 40′s after 9 pm. In the mean time there are already marked and unmarked cars cruising the area, but they can’t be everywhere at once. So, it is up to citizens to report suspicious persons or behavior.
If this vigilance is regarded as an ‘endless, hopeless battle’ for some, then maybe a move would be a good idea. For the rest of us, it’s part of the deal of city living.
Can we block Stuffa and tvnewsbadge from the blog. Our “Oprah” quality blog has instigators with too much time turning it into “Jerry Springer”. This is a great community, but I would not tell anyone to read this blog due to the ranting and whining that has taken over. This blog does not represent this area anymore. It represents a few people’s boredom.
Richard you are doing an incredible job at informing us THANK YOU for your tireless commitment!
The last time I looked, Lowe’s had inexpensive spotlights with a motion detector. It was even possible to put the motion detector up in one location and the lights in another (takes some electrical skills). There was even one version that caused an alarm to go off in the house.
Sorry Tired but I won’t be blocking anyone from the comments, unless he/she uses racist, sexist or threatening language. I will continue to jump in and tell people to play nice when I think it is appropriate. Bummed that would not recommend this blog to others because of the comments. There is still plenty of information to be gleaned without delving into the comments every time. Thanks for the compliment as well.
Here is some food for thought: many US cities experienced “white flight” to the suburbs during the 60′s, in a period of tremendous social upheaval, race riots, violent protest, surge in drug use/crime etc.
Many cities around the country have STILL not fully recovered, economically or otherwise.
However, in the aftermath of that upheaval, there were individuals who either stayed or moved back into the city, in search of inexpensive housing and the chance to build a community.
It has been people like that who have collectively been responsible for bringing many urban neighborhoods back from the brink. They certainly would not have moved out as a result of the crime wave we are currently experiencing.
After all, they have endured far worse. But maybe those ‘urban pioneers’ were made of sterner stuff…
Nice guilt trip Stuffa! If people feel it is in the best interest of there family to move or not move – how is that bad?
No guilt, but it is kind of ironic that some are considering a move in the wake of this (so far) minor crime wave, given what was endured by our predecessors.
Which, by the way, is not really anything new. It’s the news that is spreading faster not the crime.
The fact is this: it is precisely neighborhoods like this which tend to be very closely knit. Why? People invest in the neighborhood, their homes and relationships. Neighbors watch out for each other.
If being aware of your surroundings and calling the police when you see something suspicious is considered to be ‘fighting an endless, hopeless battle’, or, in other words, it is too exhausting an exercise in civic duty, it is an insult to everyone who has lived here for a long time and for those who intend to stay.
So when you want to bail out, you are also bailing out on your neighbors, which means that maybe you aren’t such a good one yourself.
That isn’t necessarily bad at all.
I am tired of the “if you can’t stand the heat, move to the suburbs” comments. While the suburbs are far from perfect, these type incidents happen far too often. We need all the new blood we can get in this town and for too many people the risks outweigh the rewards. The result is Richmond lags far behind its potential. There is an ongoing debate about the lower murder rate and the state of crime and safety in Richmond. People who decide that it is in their family’s best interest to move out are not traitors. It is in our best interest to make staying worthwhile.
I’d like to add that it is each family’s decision. Who are we to wag our fingers at people whose decisions are different than our own? Let’s support each other and as Paul says, make staying worthwhile. I am encouraged that arrests are being made in the case of the recent burglaries, for example. I do think we get a lot more information about these incidents now that there are neighborhood blogs and yahoo groups to share info which makes it seem like there’s more incidents.
Actually, I agree with #14. I realized from the start that this was an ““Oprah” quality blog” by intent, but it is a character flaw in me that I cannot suffer arrogance without an intellectual basis and cannot take “know it all isms” lightly and I take leave of my common sense and feel an irresistible urge compelled to respond in kind when I run across folks like you know who. Resist as I may try, it’s like eating peanuts… you just can’t stop.
My intent is not to be disruptive but to “keep them honest”, but since this has reached a point where some contributers to this blog are calling for censorship, I think it’s time I vacate this very fine forum and take my opinions and observations to a more appropriate venue.
I have enjoyed the discussions here and thank # 14 for the “wake up call”.
All in favor of telling Stuffa to find another group to “impress” with his knowledge say “I”. I am tired of his instigating. He’s that old guy who knows it all and has to tell everyone. News-flash; people that really know something don’t have to prove it. Try using your knowledge to bring our community together Stuffa and not to always prove you are a higher being with the greatest knowledge of this area and how people should live. You too tvnewsbadge. Not trying to hurt a couple of smart lonely guys, but you are dragging this Blog down with your constant instigation.
As response to #22. Please stay. Your willingness to be open and honest means you are adding to this Blog. And, I understand not being able to let injustice “lie”. You obviously care more about the greater good than your own opinion and you just proved that. Please accept my apology, “I’m sorry.” Maybe Stuffa can rise to your level.
If Stuffa and tvnewsbadge leave, does that mean the “H&H Cage Match” is cancelled? Say it ain’t so!
I would like to suggest to all readers that if you don’t like the message that someone is saying you simply don’t read that person’s comments. This will remain an open forum and all opinions are welcome.
In my opinion, there people who are overreacting to the problem.
If everyone had the same this mindset, then Woodland Heights would be a ghost town in the wake of the Harvey family murders.
So, while I have perhaps been too frank in previous posts, a little perspective on the scope of the problem would be helpful, please.
Regarding Tvnewsbadge #22, it’s hard to pick a side when they are both holding guns. While you were walking up the high road, Stuffa pulled out the big guns. Hope to see future posts from you.
My post above #7 was an emotional dump after hearing of yet another incident. I’m a bit more level headed today and really quite impressed at the discussion my post (rant) sparked. One of the many things I love about my neighbors is the thoughtful discussion and debate…can’t get that in the ‘burbs.